Saturday, February 18, 2012

It has been said that one can gauge the character of a nation by how they treat their animals - the same goes for a company.

Animal Testing is something that has been in the spotlight for decades, its agreed that to test on animals, especially for cosmetics, is highly unethical, cruel, and inhumane. We have the knowledge and the proof that many animals suffer brutally at the hands of these companies for tests that could just as easily - and more cost effectively - be conducted on PAID humans (who willingly sign up) or done on a cellular level in a simulated arena. Bottom line? Its it unnecessary.

Animal testing hurts so much more than the dogs, cats, primates, rodents, lagomorphs (bunnies), etc that have their eyes painfully blinded or that are "harvested" (aka - killed by a gas chamber) once they are deemed useless - it hurts our economy and our pocketbooks.

And it doesn't necessarily make the product proved any safer for the consumer - at all.

As many of you are aware, I have been in the veterinary medicine field for nearly 9 years now - I went from shelter medicine to private practice to emergency - I graduated from college and became an LVT all in the name of saving the lives of those who need us dearly, of those who touch our hearts and make our lives whole. I have also been an advocate of animal right for over a decade - my parents were and still are fiercely involved in rescue and the abolition of animal testing.

There are MANY ways YOU can help stop this, even when you feel like "Well Im only ONE person, what can I do?" - YOU can do a world of good by not purchasing ANY products from companies who test on animals. The moment a human being disregards life and treats another living creature as an object or a slave is the moment that person or people set our society back.

Tips to help:

- When buying a product, look on the back to make sure it reads NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS

- Do your homework - Google is a great tool for finding out companies who test on animals. PROCTER & GAMBLE is one of the absolute WORST for that.

- Think about it - while we cannot change every aspect of what we buy, we can make small changes that DO matter. Why buy from a company that lies to you anyway or charges you more? Animal testing is a huge sign that a certain company is far behind and thus their tests will be too - does that make you feel safe?!

- Write a letter - don't be afraid to call them out on this! If you love Avon, write to them telling them politely that you are a loyal consumer but that this recent news is absolutely unacceptable and that you will not be purchasing anymore from them and neither will at least 10 of your friends - NOTHING scares a company like word of mouth.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Shoes:
The battle ensues between French shoe mogul Christian Louboutin and nemesis YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) in the United States Court System; Louboutin has taken YSL to a New York City court over the infamous "Red Bottom" debate claiming that he in fact was the first to come up with the hot-to-trott red bottom shoes that women everywhere are pawing at, saying that in 1992 he first discovered the coveted look when he "...polished the bottom (of a pair of heels) with red nail polish,". The judge overseeing the case, The Honorable Victor Marrero begs to differ citing that:

"Louboutin's claim to “the color red” is, without some limitation, overly broad and inconsistent with the scheme of trademark registration established by the Lanham Act...Louboutin's claim raises the specter of fashion wars. If Louboutin owns Chinese Red for the outsole of high fashion women‟s shoes, another designer can just as well stake out a claim for exclusive use of another shade of red, or indeed even Louboutin‟s color, for the insole, while yet another could, like the world colonizers of eras past dividing conquered territories and markets, plant its flag on the entire heel for its Chinese Red."

I wonder, with so many independent shoe companies making red soled shoes, copy cats are bound to breed endlessly - is this a labor of love and appreciation or is YSL out to do stake claim and upset the shoe designer himself? And can one truly make such a large deal of this without documented proof? When you are Christian Louboutin you sure can.

RUNWAYS:

Amy Winehouse fans unite! We have all felt the loss of Ms. Winehouse in some way or another; I personally was cast under the spell of her voice and could identify on many planes with her; bit she is not truly gone. . . at least not in the world of high fashion. Jean Paul Gaultier was so smitten with the deceased singer that he dedicated an entire runway show to her honor - thick inky-black cat eye liner, beehives and all. It was a beautiful emulation of the former singer complete with her most famous song to date, "Rehab", being crooned a cappella during the show's entirety. The show's attires included everything Winehouse donned, from her sky-high hair to her form fitting dresses to beautifully buttoned corsets that cinched the waist just right. The finale was perhaps the sweetest part - the show's models all walked out wearing black veils to pay their last respects to a musical and fashion icon long gone; I believe it was Neil Young who said "Every junkie's like a setting sun"

Makeup
MAC Cosmetics will welcome China's hautest photographer - Chen Man - for a collaboration that will turn heads! Chen is known for her forward functioning allure and her attention to transformation through the art of still life and makeup; a bold concept to her native and fellow Chinese Women.
***Side Fact*** Chinese Women spend more money on skincare than they do on cosmetics - which do YOU spend the most money on?***
About her experience working with cult favorite MAC Cosmetics, Chen had to say "M.A.C. gave me (the) freedom to do whatever I wanted".
Chen Man's collaboration with MAC debuts in March 2012 with twelve - yes 12 - new and exciting products:

- Highlighting Powder in an icy pink
- 3 hand-baked Mineralized eyeshadow duos
- Nail Laquers
To name a few! Her color choices are as pristine as her photography focusing on cerulean depths, liquid eyes and poppy pink lips, the Beauty Powder is intended to create "A 3D face with (beautiful) highlights,". Much like in her photographic works of art, Chen [plays with the illusions and the waspiness of light and movement to gravitate us to the illumination that art can bring.

And I for one can't wait.

Have anything to add to this weeks beauty round up? Email me at crystalphitts84@gmail.com